


Someone like him.

by benway1996



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:06:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23760547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/benway1996/pseuds/benway1996
Summary: A little ficlet my brain came up with at 4am yesterday morning which I drafted on my phone and have just gone back to edit it quickly so I think it's probably terribly written.Loosely inspired by the ridiculous spoiler article (that I don't believe) about Callum moving on from Ben with Johnny Carter where Ben gets insecure after he finds Johnny flirting with CallumSorry for any inevitable grammatical errors and/or typos :')
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Kudos: 70





	Someone like him.

It was early afternoon. Callum had finished work for the day and him and Ben were having a pint in the Vic. Johnny Carter had returned for a visit the day before and was chatting to Callum from behind the bar whilst Ben had popped to the gents. 

“So Halfway, did you ever realise that I had a bit of a thing for you?” Johnny teased with a smile, Callum wasn't out last time they were together and Johnny had been pleased and proud to hear that his childhood friend had come out in front of his parents' pub full of punters.

“What?” Callum let out a nervous laugh, not really understanding what Johnny was going on about, but he got the gist. 

Johnny smirked, “Yeah thought not.” 

Callum laughs it off thinking how strange it was that someone who he’s always regarded as a brother is now seemingly flirting with him. Out of the corner of his eye he spots Ben coming back from the toilet.

Ben looks at Johnny and clocks the way he’s looking at Callum and sits on the stool next to his boyfriend. Ben places a possessive hand on Callum’s knee, mentally kicking himself for how pathetic he must look. Of course, Johnny fancies Callum, why wouldn’t he?

Johnny must notice Ben’s demeanour and how his jaw has clenched as he gestures that there is a customer that needs serving and dismisses himself. As he goes, he turns to Ben and says “You’re a lucky man Ben.”

Before today Ben would have considered Johnny a good friend, someone who he holds in high regard. But in all honestly, in this moment, he has never wanted to punch someone more. He lets out a tight-lipped smile, “I know I am mate, thanks.”

Callum glances between the two of them sensing Ben’s unease. He places his own hand on top of the one Ben has rested on his thigh and interlaces their fingers together.  
This does nothing to pacify Ben though who pulls away, stands up and walks out the pub.

Callum sighs rubbing his hands over his face before getting up and following his boyfriend. Callum watches Ben as he retreats across the square to the flat. He sets off after the younger man.

When he lets himself in, he is met by silence. As he walks through, the living room is deserted, Callum would think the flat was empty if it weren’t for Ben’s coat and boots discarded next to the kitchen table. He smiles fondly before making his way through to the bedroom.

Ben is curled up on his side facing away from the door hiding under the covers in their bed. Callum places a gentle hand on the top of his boyfriend’s head, stroking his hair. Ben doesn’t move but Callum is sure he hears him sniff, as if he’s crying. Callum takes his own shoes off and discards his jacket on the end of the bed before pacing round to his side, lifting the covers and climbing in so that he’s face to face with his boyfriend.

Ben’s eyes are clenched shut and he has got the covers balled up in his fists which are pulled up to his face. Callum takes hold of Ben’s hands trying to get him to look at him, but all Ben does is pull away again and turn over. Instead, Callum moves closer and places an arm around Ben pulling him back into his chest. They lay like that for a while, Callum knowing Ben well enough to know he would speak when he was ready.

Eventually Ben twists in Callum’s arms so they’re facing each other once again, Ben met with a soft smile from Callum.

“Would you rather be with someone like Johnny?” he says, almost too quiet for Callum to hear, looking down at his hands which were fiddling with the covers between them. 

“Where has this come from Ben?” Callum replied.

“He was flirting with you.”

“No he weren’t,” Callum tries to deny.

“Yes he was,” Ben comes back quickly, “Would you, would you rather be with someone like him?”

Callum goes to answer but Ben keeps going, he isn’t listening. 

“Just someone who’s straightforward, someone who isn’t going to cause you all this grief. Someone who doesn’t have a million and one different issues that rear their ugly head on a daily basis. Cause he’d be the perfect boyfriend who deserves you wouldn’t he? I’d understand, you know, if you decided you wanted an easy life with someone like him and,” Ben rambles, barely pausing for breath.

“Ben.” Callum’s voice is firm as his hands cradle his boyfriend’s face again. Ben opens his eyes and tears start falling down his cheeks onto the pillow. 

“Shut up,” Callum started, “I am so in love with you. I cannot imagine being with anyone else and I don’t want to. You do not need to be worried about me going anywhere because that is not gonna happen.” 

Ben sighed, “I’m sorry. It’s just when I saw the way he was looking at you something in me flipped. I hate feeling like that. Pathetic and desperate, like I could lose you.”

“You’re not gonna lose me Ben. To be honest I was weirded out that he was saying that stuff. Never thought of him like that at all. And it weren’t pathetic or desperate either, to be honest it was quite hot you getting all protective over me,” Callum nudged his boyfriend gently in his stomach.

Callum smirked before continuing, “Anyway shouldn’t I be the one getting jealous now he’s back on the scene? Considering it’s MY boyfriend that’s actually SLEPT WITH HIM??” 

“He only slept with me because someone amazing like you weren’t an option back then.” Ben replied quietly, painfully aware of how needy he sounded.

“Ben, I don’t know how many times I have to say this, but I will say it every day until you believe me. You are amazing. You are beautiful. I am unbelievably lucky to be with you and I do not, under any circumstances, want to be with anyone else. Ok?” 

“Ok.” Ben accepted with the makings of a fond smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Right,” Callum grinned back at his boyfriend, “Now shut up and kiss me Ben Mitchell.”

So he did. Ben kissed Callum desperately, gripping at his shirt, hoping that it conveyed everything Ben couldn’t with words.

Ben whispered then, “I love you Callum, so much.”

“I love you too. You are my favourite person in the entire world and I ain’t going nowhere,” Callum pulled away to make sure Ben had understood before continuing, “Now, seeing as we seem to have abandoned our pints in the Vic, how about we go and get a couple from the fridge and stick on some Hannah Montana?”

Ben looked up at him and smiled. The familiar glint returned to his eyes.

“You know me so well babe.”


End file.
